B-17 Flying Fortress WW2 Military Airplane Books and Historical Books.

B-17 Flying Fortress 2 Guerra Mundial Libros avion militar y libros historicos.

B-17 Flying Fortress WW2 Avin Militar Libros y Libros Histricos.

B-17 Flying Fortress historical books,  The B-17 was one of the greatest heavy bombers and military aircraft ever made and is the most famous WW2 bomber of all time. 

Mission to Berlin
by Robert F. Dorr
From Hell Hawks! author Bob Dorr, Mission to Berlin takes the reader on a World War II strategic bombing mission from an airfield in East Anglia, England, to Berlin and back. Told largely in the veterans’ own words, Mission to Berlin covers all aspects of a long-range bombing mission including pilots and other aircrew, ground crew, and escort fighters that accompanied the heavy bombers on their perilous mission.

The B-17 Flying Fortress is a key player in the book. The four-engined propeller aircraft was smaller than a modern Boeing 737-800 and had a combat radius of about 800 miles while carrying 6,000 pounds’ worth of ordnance and a nine-member crew.  Robert Dorr also touches on the B-17’s less-heralded rival, the B-24 Liberator. The squat-looking aircraft, nicknamed “the box, was faster and heavier than the B-17 and could carry more ordnance, but not fly as high.

Many More books by Robert F. Dorr

Flak at 12 O'clock
by Dean M. Bloyd

Book Description 
Flak at 12 O'clock is about a Kansas farm boy's teenage experiences that lead to his becoming a co-pilot of a B-17 in the 8th Air Force  during the final months of World War II. He describes his adventures as an Aviation Cadet that lead to his assignment, the blunders of superior officers and his reasons for giving up a career in the Air Force.     About the Author
After leaving the Air Corps, Dean Bloyd graduated from the University of Kansas, became a CPA and retired as a successful financial executive in the petroleum industry. He now lives in Fountain Hills, Arizona.    Paperback: 204 pages:    Publisher: iUniverse (October 13, 2000):     Language: English:    ISBN-10: 0595139701:    ISBN-13: 978-0595139705

The Original Hell's Angels
Images of Aviation
Valerie Smart. 

The crew of Hell's Angels, a B-17 from the 303rd Bombardment Group,  was the first in the 8th Air Force to complete 25 missions. Now, meet these men and experience the total 48 missions they flew! You will also learn how the entire 303rd became known as Hell's Angels, the first heavy bombardment group to complete 300  missions from American bases in England. 128 pgs., approx. 200 B&W photos, 6½"x   9¼", sfbd....

Ridgewell's Flying Fortresses
The 381st Bombardment Group in World War II 
Ron Mackay.

In June 1943, the quiet English countryside around the village of Ridgewell was transformed by the arrival of  the 381st Bomb Group with its B-17 Flying Fortresses. The subsequent battle in the skies over Europe witnessed the 381st, in concert with their fellow airmen of the "Mighty Eighth," striking 297 times at Hitler's "Fortress Europe." Here is the story of  that 1,000 day fiercely contested struggle. 240 pgs., 350+ photos, 8½"x 11", hdbd

An Air Force lead navigator's engrossing account of the lives and heroics of the airmen whose 2000-aircraft formations bombed Western  Europe during World War II.  They began operations out of England in the spring of '43. They flew their "Flying Fortresses" almost daily against strategic targets in Europe in the name of freedom. Their astonishing courage and appalling losses earned them the name that resounds in the annals of aerial  warfare and made the "Bloody Hundredth" a legend. 

 Nate Saint : On a Wing and a Prayer 
(Christian Heroes, Then & Now)
by Janet Benge, Geoff Benge

A biography of the American pilot who served Christian missionaries in Ecuador's jungles until his death at the hands of Auca Indians in 1956. 

This book is all about a Christian man that gave his love of flying planes to God. This inspirational story about Nate Saint tells of his life, from his childhood, to his tragic death in Ecuador. Nate was actually a martyr for God. By the death of his friends and himself, he actually opened up the door for others to minister to the savage Auca tribe. This is a wonderful book, I highly recommend it!

Publication Date: October 13, 1998
Europe has fallen. Pearl Harbor is in flames. Enter: the Eighth.
In 1941 the RAF fought a desperate battle of survival against the Luftwaffe over Britain. Then, from across the Atlantic, came a new generation of American pilots, gunners, and bombardiers, a new generation of flying machines called the B-17 Flying Fortress, the B-24 Liberator, the P-47 Thunderbolt, and the P-51 Mustang fighter. Soon these brave young men were hurtling themselves and their unproven planes across the Channel and into the teeth of enemy firepower, raining down bombs on the German military machine, and going up against Hitler's best fliers in the sky.
This is the dramatic oral history of the Army Air Corps and the newly created Eighth Air Force stationed in Britain, an army of hard-fighting, hard-playing flying men who suffered more fatalities than the entire U.S. Marine Corps in the Pacific campaign of World War II. Here, in their own words, are tales of survival and soul-numbing loss, of soldiers who came together to fight a kind of war that had never been fought before--and win it with their courage and their blood.

B-17 Flying Fort Units 8th AF
Combat Aircraft Vol. 18
Bowman.

The B-17 has come to epitomize the American war effort in Europe, and the  "Mighty Eighth" controlled no fewer than 27 bomb groups through much of the war. Evolution of the force is traced through first hand accounts of individuals who took  part in the action. Features period images of aircraft and aircrews, as well as 30  color profiles of aircraft from each air group of the 1st Air Division. 112 pgs., 7¼"x  9¾", sfbd

Exhibits about the 8th Air Force

I Wanted Wings:
The Autobiography of Leonard M. Thompson
Suggestion thanks to Mark Schiller

Fire Bombers in Action (Motorbooks International Enthusiast Color)  by Barry D. Smith 
 ISBN: 0760300437 

Publication Date: September 1995 | Series: Enthusiast Color Series
A fine collection of real color photos of B-17 Flying Fortresses in service--not pictures of restored warbirds. All are contemporary shots that shows the colorful nose art and markings of the B-17s during and shortly after World War II. Includes 80+ color shots.
ISBN: 0760300399 

From the Publisher The top class photography showcased in the Osprey Color Classics series offers a superb insight into the appearance and deployment of a wide range of civil and military machines.       ISBN: 1855321971 

Book Description
The B-17 Flying Fortress – the most successful US bomber of the Second World War Full design, production and modification record Extensively illustrated  Operational history of every individual aircraft--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author
As a boy, Roger Freeman watched from his father's farm as the 8th Air Force took off for its missions over Germany; he has had a lifelong interest in the Mighty Eighth ever since, and now lectures on USAAF history, both here and in America.      ISBN: 1854093010 

Northern California Chapter, American Aviation Historical Society, 1994
The Boeing PB-1W and PB-1G until now have been little known to us. (The author) brings us the historical, technological and tactical concepts, developments and operations of these two unique models of the Boeing B-17. (The author) has done his research well. The book is interesting reading and most enjoyable. You learn a great deal more than just statements of facts for the author explains the services' logic in the development and deployment of these aircraft. I award (the author) "Five Stars" fo r this work-get it! 

Fly Past Magazine, November 1994
"B-17 In Blue" comes from the authoritative pen of Scott Thompson and deals deeply with the PB-1 -the Flying Fortress in service with the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard.      ISBN: 0963754335 

amazone.com
Laugh and cry with McGuire and his crew mates. 'Lady Luck' was the llth member of this crew until the day she deserted them. Bloody Skies captures the humor, tragedy, and ordinariness of life on a B-17 combat air crew flying out of Italy in the latter days of World War II.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Publisher Comments
"... I highly recommend this book to our fellow members of AFNOA, because it can help us to confront that past and to reconcile with it. This book should be on the shelves of the public school and community libraries... ." -- Dr. Ahead, AFNOA Newsletter 

"The authors have gone to a great deal of trouble to bring readers a detailed account of the day-to-day doings of this B-17 combat crew stationed in Italy during World War II. they've included photographs from archives, fellow crew members and McGuire's own collection. (In the photographs the crew members look heartbreakingly young, the planes small and vulnerable.) There are informative maps, statistics, a diagram of the B-17 and the combat positions occupied by the crew, plus recently declassified documents, debriefing reports and eyewitness descriptions. 

"The epilogue is particularly poignant. It is there we find out what happened to the survivors in the years since the war, how difficult it was to trace them, how little information has been written about the terrifying jobs they did and how they have adjusted to civilian life." --New Mexico Magazine 

Book Description 
The second of the Legends of the Air series which narrates the operational and development histories of the most important strategic bombers of WW2. Features of Legends of the Air Volume 2 include approximately 70,000 words detailing the three famous bombers, 48 specially commissioned color side view drawings, specification and production tables, maps of areas of operations, and hundreds of  photographs. 

 Boeing made reality the operational concept of strategic bombing with the B-17 Flying Fortress. In combat, the B-17 had to fight a difficult battle to prove the concept of daylight bombing. In operation through the darkest hours over both Europe and the Pacific, the 17 became the hallmark bomber of WW2 and paved the way for not only for its peers but its successors. 

England meanwhile had in the Lancaster possibly the finest strategic bomber of WW2 on a payload/range basis and chose a different  operational path than the Americans in optimizing their aircraft for night operations against Germany. The development and operational  record of this fine aircraft is fully detailed and backed up by a plethora of never before seen photos and specially commissioned artwork. 

The ultimate heavy bomber of the era was Boeing's B-29. Pressurized, able to fly above the flak, computerized, and armed to the teeth  with automatic defensive .50 guns, the 29 flew missions over distances not even imaginable a decade earlier and ushered in a new era of  large aircraft design that would give birth to both the long range airliners and bombers of the postwar era. 

ISBN-10: 187567117X

Book Description 
   *130 b/w photos
   * 8 color photos
   * 7 x 9 

Boeing's B-17 was the USAAF's primary heavy bomber for the first three years of the war. From the vast production lines at the Boeing,  Douglas and Lockheed Vega plants, to the war-torn skies over Germany and the Pacific islands, the B-17 is seen in all its metallic glory.  Includes an 8-page color section with company advertisements not seen in print since the war. 

From the Publisher
Text outlining aircraft production and history, combined with photography, scale drawings and cutaways and full appendices make these books an invaluable resource for aircraft lovers everywhere.

ISBN-10: 1855328143

Claims to Fame : 
The B-17 Flying Fortress
Steve Birdsall, Roger A. Freeman (Contributor) / Paperback / Published 1997 

ISBN-10: 1854094246

Book Description 
As a waist gunner aboard Black Hawk, a B-17 Flying Fortress operating from bases in England, Sgt. Jack Novey, and 18 year-old from  the streets of Chicago, survived some of the most dangerous bombing missions of WWII. Deserves a place among the best memoirs of  the air war against Germany. 42 b&w photos.  ISBN-10: 1574270664

Jack Novey's account of life as a waist gunner aboard the B-17 "Black Hawk" is incredible. He writes with such clarity that you'd swear he just arrived back from the war. The details of the people and things around him conjure up emotions of awesome fear, musty smells and high adventure. It was difficult to put the book down and I was often left sleepless thinking about what I had read. This is by far one of the most engrossing books about WW II I've ever read because it didn't glamorize the war but captured the real life struggles Mr. Novey encountered. Thanks Jack for such a wonderful account of your experience.   Hardcover: 208 pages   Publisher: Howell Press Inc. (February 1997)

The author, Frank Reese Mays frank.mays@gte.net , 

May 27, 1999  After 55 years I've finally told the total story!  I flew 2 combat missions on D-Day 1944 and 33 others. I was not afraid to die for my country but I had a great Guardian Angel that  saved me from not only combat but also my involvement with some young English Ladies. These many years later I wonder what one of  them was all about? The other was fun between missions for a teenage Airman expecting to die at any moment. Read of my buddies I lost  and the horror of war along with some recreation as I tried to forget. 

Paperback: 300 pages
Publisher: Briarwood Publications; 1 edition (May 1999)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1892614162
ISBN-13: 978-1892614162

Mass Market Paperback
Publisher: Pulse Press (January 1998)
ISBN-10: 0965781402
ISBN-13: 978-0965781404

Pride of Seattle
The Story of the First 300 B-17Fs 
Birdsall. 

Complete listing, by aircraft number, of  the service record of the first 300 B-17Fs produced. A great reference with over 130  photos. 64 pgs., 8½"x 11", sfbd.

Book Description
The symbol of the United States Army Air Force in Europe, the B-17 Flying Fortress is arguably the most famous American Bomber. In this book, packed with lavish colour photographs, Michael O'Leary presents a pictorial account of those B-17s kept flying today by a hard core army of devoted followers. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From the Publisher
The top class photography showcased in the Osprey Colour Classics series offers a superb insight into the appearance and deployment of a wide range of civil and military machines. -   Paperback  --  Publisher: Ian Allan Pub (August 1999)  --  Language: English  --  ISBN-10: 1882663470  --  ISBN-13: 978-1882663477

The publisher, John F. Welch , July 23, 2000
We have been very pleased by readers' favorable comments. Acclaim for this book has made all the work and expense of producing it very worthwhile. Most laudatory are the comments of those who "were there", and participated in the missions described. Others express gratitude for the sacrifices and dangers borne by the men  who daily went out and got shot at for their country and for all its citizens, but have been reluctant to talk about it all these years. 

Editor John F. Welch: "I was the original Copilot on Lauren Spleth's B-17 crew, on which John Briol was the Ball Turret Gunner. We trained as a crew in Florida and Virginia, then joined the Eighth Air Force's 457th Bomb Group, with whom we flew our 35 missions, beginning September 12, 1944. In violation of regulations, John kept a diary, which he brought home sewed in the lining of his Army field jacket. Some years after John's death, his son brought the diary to my attention. After reading it, I concluded it should be published. I added comments of other crew members and my own, and persuaded two ladies, residents of Berlin at the time of our last mission, to write about how it was to be bombed. I combined all these inputs into the diary, served as editor, and self published DEAD ENGINE KIDS in 1993. Our crew name, and the name of the book, came from our crew's record of failed and shot out engines. It took only one mission, our first one, to convert us from young kids to grown men. Even now, when open the book and begin to read, it's as if it all happened yesterday, and I'm scared all over again."

Paperback: 216 pages
Publisher: Silver Wings Aviation; 1st edition (August 1993)    Language: English    ISBN-10: 0963790900    ISBN-13: 978-0963790903

Final Cut : 
The Post War B-17 Flying Fortress the Survivors 
Scott Thompson 

Publisher 
This B-17 book begins where most others conclude. Here, told for the first time in detailed text and rare photos, is the story of the  B-17's post-World War II use in roles never envisioned by its designers: air-sea rescue; airborne radar platforms; weather and photo  reconnaissance; CIA duties; and many more. Those B-17s the military no longer needed are shown in the vast post-war scrap yards,  awaiting the smelter or, for a lucky few, a civil role. The civil B-17 starred in numerous motion pictures and television shows, carried  cargo over the South American Andes, performed for years as air tankers fighting forest fires, and finally was memorialized for the war  fought a half century ago. The complete history of each of the surviving B-17s is told, illustrated with a wide variety of photos. Also  included are detailed appendices with serial numbers, registration numbers, and other details. Great addition to any aviation library. --This  text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Book Description 
During World War II, the B-17 made its mark in Europe with daring and devastating bombing runs over the heart of German industry. Fans of the B-24 consider it the most important bomber of the War for its large payload and versatility. And the B-29, with its pressurized cabin and remote-control gun turrets, was the ultimate strategic bomber, flying higher, faster, and farther than any of its  counterparts, making it the logical choice for the War-ending flights over Hiroshima and Nagasaki. 

Great American Bombers of WWII combines three best-selling MBI Publishing Company aircraft histories into one huge, value-d volume. The nose art, markings, and camouflage schemes of each of the USAAF's marquee bombers are detailed in archival black-and-white photographs, as well as in rare War-era color photography, making this volume a package any World War II enthusiast  will want for his or her library. 

Book Description 
Classic story of the air war in Europe written by a highly talented author in August 1944 while he was actively participating in the conflict. 

 From the Publisher 
Bert Stiles was a prolific and highly talented writer. While still in college he had several stories published  in the Saturday Evening Post, Colliers and other magazines. He was way ahead of his time. He wrote about The United Nations while it  was still in the planning stage. He wrote about racial inequities and the environment long before such topics were popular. His college classmate Roland Dickison and Robert Cooper have collected many of his manuscripts and published them in separate publications. When we consider that Bert Stiles died at the young age of twenty three, the magnitude and scope of his writing is truly outstanding. 

About the Author <<<----Be Sure to Read This
Bert Stiles was a highly talented writer who flew as a pilot with the United States Army Air Corps. He first flew a tour of duty as a  co-pilot in heavy bombers with the 91st Bomb Group. After completing his tour of duty he volunteered for another tour of duty in fighter aircraft. He was assigned to a P-51 Squadron. However, he took one month off during the late summer of 1944 and wrote Serenade to  the Big Bird. Tragically, three months later he was killed in action on an escort raid to Hanover. His mother recovered the manuscript  from his personal effects an acquired a publisher. Serenade to the Big Bird was first published in 1947. Now in its fifth printing, it has become a classic tale of the air war in Europe. Bert Stiles tells the story as it was, while it was happening. 

The author is buried in the Ardennes Cemetery near Liege Belgium. One hundred four fallen airmen from the 91st Bomb Group are  buried beside Bert Stiles in this military cemetery. Though their lips are stilled, Bert's words live on, and he has become the unofficial spokesman for every one of his fallen comrades. 

The Legend of Colin Kelly
Robert Taylor. 
Aviation Art Print

Print depicts Kelly's B-17 under heavy attack from Zero fighters led by  the ranking Japanese ace, Saburo Sakai. Sakai later said "Out of ammunition, I flew  alongside the B-17 and saw the pilot trying to save the burning aircraft after allowing  his crew to escape. I have tremendous respect for him." Limited edition of 750 signed by artist and the two surviving crew members of Capt. Kelly's B-17C. 33¼"x 25½" print. FREE with purchase: Rising Sun by Robert Taylor (This is the picture of the Zero in the inset)  . This valuable numbered  companion print is signed by 64-victory fighter ace Saburo Sakai and initialed by  Robert Taylor. 18"x 13 ½"

Wing Ding
 Memories of a Tailgunner. 
Carson. 

This autobiography is the story of a cook in the Army Air Corps. Witness his unauthorized move from the kitchen to life as an aerial  gunner on a B-17 in the unfriendly skies of Europe. Share in his life as he fights for  his country while snatching moments of relief between missions. You'll see firsthand  the courage and determination that was so common in the Mighty 8th. 204 pgs., 24  B&W photos, 5½"x 8½", sfbd

In 1944, as World War II is raging across Europe, fifteen-year-old Jack Raab dreams of being a hero. Leaving New York City, his   family, and his boyhood behind, Jack uses a false I.D. and lies his way into the U.S. Air Force.

From their base in England, he and his crew fly twenty-four treacherous bombing missions over occupied Europe. The war is almost over and Hitler near defeat when they fly their last mission -- a mission destined for disaster. Shot down far behind enemy lines, Jack is taken  prisoner and sent to a German POW camp, where his experiences are more terrifying than anything he'd ever imagined. 

About the Author 
Harry Mazer's The Last Mission is drawn closely from his experiences as a seventeen-year-old in the Army Air Corps. Like Jack, he  was a Jewish boy from the Bronx full of fantasies about heroism, and like Jack, he became a waist gunner and never fired his guns. He  remembers, "I was scared every time we flew....On our 26th mission we flew over Pilzen, Czechoslovakia, to bomb the Skoda Munitions Works. We missed our target, turned over the target again, and were hit. I saw Mike, who was our radio operator, frozen in the door of  the radio room. He never made it out of the plane. Only three of us parachuted....No one in the plane lived." ( ALAN Review, Fall 1980)    Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: Laurel Leaf (January 15, 1981)   Language: English    ISBN-10: 0440947979    ISBN-13: 978-0440947974

Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress
Aero Detail Vol. 19

A detailed photo essay on the B-17G featuring the "Mary Alice" that is on display at  the Imperial War Museum in Duxford, England and that is almost certainly the best  restored and preserved Flying Fortress in the world. An amazing 450 photos and  dozens of technical diagrams thoroughly document all the systems on the airplane.  The ultimate technical reference for the modeler or the history buff. 96 pgs., 10"x 10", sfbd.  

Book Description 
A memoir about the author who enlisted in World War II and became a tail gunner on a B-17, in Army  Air Corps, 8th Air Force, 452nd Bomb Group, 728th Bomb Squadron, stationed in England and flying over Germany. Moramarco's plane was shot down over Hamburg and he was taken POW, classified MIA. He was liberated by Patton. Nick Moramarco now suffers post-traumatic stress disorder, or shell-shock as they called it then. 

From the Publisher 
An American POW During WWII: Survival Then and Now In 1943, young Nick Moramarco, a Southern California boy of Italian-American heritage, found himself turning from a boy into a man in several giant steps: he quarreled with his older brother and his  father, thus asserting his own independent mind; he fell in love and got engaged to his high school sweetheart, Marie Santiago; he  graduated from Lincoln High School; and he joined the U.S. Army to fight in World War II. This last step, joining the Army, was to have  a profound and lasting step on Nick's life. It was a decision that led to travel and responsibility, danger and adventure, and the kind of  trauma from which there is no recovery. He still suffers from what is known as post-traumatic stress disorder. And no wonder. 

About the Author 
Following the war, Nick Moramarco was awarded two Air Medals, the Purple Heart, the Prisoner of War Medal, the Soldier's Conduct Medal, the European Combat Medal, and the Victory Medal. he worked for many years for the County of Los Angeles, and as a volunteer helping Korean War vets, the developmentally disabled, and the handicapped. He currently lives in Temple City, California.    Paperback: 128 pages    Publisher: Fithian Pr (December 1998)    Language: English    ISBN-10: 1564742695    ISBN-13: 978-1564742698

Ragged Irregulars Bassingbourn
The 91st Bombardment Group in World War II 
Havelaar & Hess. 

A detailed history of  one of the 1st pioneer groups in the 8th Air Force flying the B-17 out of Bassingbourn, England through three years of continuous combat. Detailed accounts  of the 340 missions flown. Listing of aircraft by number and names, plus aircraft losses by date, location and serial number. Included is a "Roll of Honor" of those killed  or missing in action. 320 pgs., over 400 B&W and color illustrations, 8½"x 11", hdbd..

95th Bomb Group. Excellent history documents the activities of the 95th  through fiery crashes, terrifying captures, heart-pounding escapes, friendships, and  the missions to Berlin, Keil and Munster among others. Told from personal experiences of the men who were there including the author. 200 photos. 310 pgs. 6½"x 9½",  sfbd. ISBN-10: 0028811291

Picture History of WWII
American Aircraft Production
Stoff. 

A war time tour of restricted aircraft plants. Consists of 258 large, crisp  photos taken inside U.S. aircraft plants during the war. You name it, see it being assembled: P-38s, Hellcats, B-17s, Corsairs, etc. 179 pgs., 8¾"x 11¾", sfbd.

Book Description 
Incorporating a wealth of new material, here is the riveting story of the bombing raids  that broke the back of Nazi Germany, praised as "a well-researched, highly readable  account of a B-17 combat crew's experience ... excellent" (Roger A. Freeman, author  of The Mighty Eighth). 

From the Back Cover
In 1943, when the outcome of World War II hung in the balance, B-17 crews of the Eighth Air Force flew harrowing, unescorted daylight bombing missions deep into Occupied Europe and Germany. These devastating raids have long been storied in film and fiction, but here is a firsthand, blow-by-blow account of these perilous missions as they really happened. In these pages, you'll see the events unfold as they were recorded and recalled by one crew's officers and enlisted men (pilot, copilot, navigator, radioman, and gunners), corroborated by other crews they flew with, and painstakingly correlated with the official records of the men's 303rd "Hell's Angels" Bomb Group.
The publication of Half a Wing, Three Engines, and a Prayer in 1989 prompted a flood of fresh recollections, correspondence, and personal records from other veterans of the 303rd. This Special Revised Edition incorporates that wealth of new material into a vivid, thorough recreation -- complete with actual combat photographs -- of one of the most dramatic chapters in military aviation history.   

About the Author   Brian D. O'Neill, is the General Counsel of Curtiss-Wright Corporation, the famous aviation company that manufactured the Curtiss P-40 fighter and the B-17's Wright Cyclone engines during World War II. Before becoming an attorney, he served with the U.S. Navy as a destroyer gunner officer and shipyard repair officer. An avid student of Eighth Air Force history, he resides in East Windsor, New Jersey.    Paperback: 454 pages    Publisher: McGraw-Hill Professional; 1st edition (April 30, 1999)    Language: English    ISBN-10: 0071341455    ISBN-13: 978-0071341455

against Hitler's Germany while serving as a bombardier on a B-17 of the fabled Eight Air Force.

amazone.com 
Moritz Thomsen was born into a wealthy American family in Hollywood in 1915, but spent the last decades of his life living a among the poor in Ecuador. He became known as a good writer with a small and devoted following. He passed away in 1993, but left behind this moving autobiography which focuses on the two colossal struggles of his life: one against a tyrannical father while seeking to escape his family and become a writer; the other against Hitler's Germany while serving as a bombardier on a B-17 of the fabled Eight Air Force.  My Two Wars is an unusual and remarkable book, very much the reflection of an irascible but oddly charming man. 

Book Description:  Publication Date: June 1, 1998
THERE ARE THOSE who consider the little-known Moritz Thomsen one of the best American writers of the century," said the Washington Post in reviewing My Two Wars. Thomsen here describes the two great battles in his life – one against his rich, tyrannical father; the other against German pilots and anti-aircraft gunners in 1943 and 1944. Thomsen had an abiding hatred for his father, and with this portrait of the man he has given us one of literature’s true monsters. "Rarely has the similarity between war and family been as clearly drawn as it is in this scathing unblinking memoir," said Kirkus in its starred review of the book. "Thomsen’s writing about the war, both philosophical and descriptive, is stunning" said the Post.

"I read My Two Wars in an elegiac mood. It's sad to think it's the last new work to be read by Moritz Thomsen... I've come away from each of his other four books feeling exhilarated -- not because of what happens in them, but because the writing is so good." -- Larry McMurtry  ISBN-10: 188364206X

Wrong Place! Wrong Time!
Kuhl. 

The true story of the disastrous second raid on Schweinfurt 14 October, 1943.  The Eighth Air Force lost air superiority that day, the 305th lost 45 of 60 B-17s... the  Luftwaffe fighters had a field day. Documented mistakes and poor leader-ship by air  commanders caused unnecessary losses. Documented and illustrated, 240 pgs., 6"x  9", hdbd.

The B-17 Flying Fortress was a major factor in the success of the Allied war against Germany. It was the epitome of a challenge faced, fought and won, a powerful aircraft that achieved celebrity status adn retained it through the war, operating extensively with the US 8th Air Force from bases throughout East Anglia. The book details the design and production of the bomber, its techical make-up and subsequent modifications, and includes a summary of the war history of every B-17 operational during the conflict.

About the Author :    As a boy, Roger Freeman watched from his father's farm as the 8th Air Force took off for its missions over Germany; he has had a lifelong interest in the Mighty Eighth ever since, and now lectures on USAAF history, both here and in America.  

A Dying Breed is the true story of a WW II air combat cres's amazing courage and indomitable spirit during the two years they spent  together flying and surviving in a German POW camp. 

Neal Dillon grew up listening to John Honeycutt--his brother-in-law--tell stories about the crew. Dillon promised him that he would one day write those stories for all to read. John HYoneycutt died in 1992 and this book is the author's promise kept. 

A Real Good War 
by Sam Halpert 
Paperback - 288 pages 
Reprint edition (June 15, 1999) 
 The novel's plot is a familiar one, its terrain even more so. What makes this book engrossing is its evocation of the fine line between a close call and a tragedy, not to mention the way guilt is detonated by war's deadly absurdity.

'Gritty, funny and rich with authenticity.' - Robert Olen Butler 'Sam Halpert shines his light on a well-worn subject and gives us material glowing with stoic humour and a crusty humanity. A unique and moving book' - Susan Minot Engrossing...evokes the fine line between a close call and a tragedy, not to mention the way guilt is detonated by war's deadly absurdity

ISBN: 0385496184 

Mayhem Was Our Business : 
Memorias De UN Veterano 
by Sabine R. Ulibarri 
Paperback - 115 pages (November 1997) 
5 Star book

Book Description 
renowned writer's WWII memoirs, bilingual edition 
ISBN-10: 0517549859

Winged Majesty : 
The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress in War and Peace. 
Ed by Frederick A. Johnsen 
ISBN: 999168347X

The Lady : 
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress 
Paul Perkins, et al / Paperback / Published 1993 
Book Description 
The first volume in the "Living History" series on WWII aircraft and the individuals who flew them, THE LADY illustrates specific crew positions, the equipment they used, and what they saw inside and outside the legendary Flying Fortress. 58 color photos, 47 b&w photos. 

ISBN: 0943231582

The Lucky Bastard Club : 
A B-17 Pilot in Training and in Combat,
1943-45/Mister Fletcher's Gang/2 Books in 1 Volume ~
Eugene Fletcher / Hardcover / Published 1998

On their first mission in a war-weary B-17 named Government Issue, half the payload jammed in the bomb bay and a shorted motor threatened to ignite the fuel transfer lines. At any moment the plane could have become a 130-knot fireball. The copilot was lowered by his ankles into the gaping bay, 15,000 feet above the English Channel, to disconnect the smoking motor. They landed safely. But because pilot Eugene Fletcher and his nine crewmen had never been in combat, they thought the day had been average. Combining the texts of Fletcher's Gang and Mister, this combination volume affords perhaps the most complete account ever of the experiences of a B-17 crew with the Eighth Air Force in WW II. From his first civilian flying lessons in a Piper J-3 Cub to the Army Air Force's Advanced Flying School, you'll follow Fletcher's education as a pilot. You'll hear what the men thought about the planes they flew and their experiences in England and what they felt toward the Army and officers who sent them there. And from the Initial Point of the bomb run (IP) and the flak-crowned targets to the Rally Point (RP) and home, you'll witness the transformation of ten men into a battle-savvy crew. The life expectancy of a bomber and its crew was 15 missions. But Fletcher and his men survived trips to Hamburg and Berlin, Bremen, Merseburg and other targets. Crews of the 95th Bombardment Group that completed 35 missions earned membership in the exclusive Lucky Bastard Club. Eligibility was celebrated at the last mission's end with a dramatic low-level flyover of the home base at full throttle; a volley of brightly colored magnesium flares spewed from the B-17 in an exuberant display of triumph. The LuckyBastard Club is drawn from Fletcher's own log, his letters to home and the journal entries of Myron Doxon, copilot; Robert Work, navigator; and Frank Dimit, bombardier. It offers an unsurpassed look at a remarkable time when every mission was a roundtrip fight, and every man's lucky  ISBN: 0295972327

B-17 Flying Fortress 
William N. Hess / Paperback / Published 1994 

   ISBN: 0879388811 

Paperback: 144 pages
Publisher: Motorbooks Intl (June 1994)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0879388811
ISBN-13: 978-0879388812

Fletcher's Gang :
A B-17 Crew in Europe, 1944-45 
Eugene Fletcher / Hardcover / Published 1988 

ISBN: 0295966041

Hardcover: 267 pages
Publisher: Univ of Washington Pr; First edition (March 1988)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0295966041
ISBN-13: 978-0295966045

B-17 Fortress at War 
 Roger A. Freeman 

ISBN: 0711006865 

Hardcover: 200 pages
Publisher: Allan (Ian) Ltd (September 1990)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0711006865
ISBN-13: 978-0711006867

B-17 Flying Fortress in Detail and Scale , 
Part 1 : Production Version 
Alwyn T. Lloyd, Terry D. Moore 

ISBN: 0816850127

Paperback: 72 pages
Publisher: Aero Publishers Inc; 1st edition (January 1982)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0816850127
ISBN-13: 978-0816850129

B-17 Flying Fortress Nose Art Gallery 
 John M. Campbell, Donna Campbell 

  ISBN: 0879387475

Book Suggestion from Duncan Rogers

ISBN: 0916856518 

The Swoose : 
Odyssey of a B-17
Herbert S. Brownstein / Hardcover / Published 1993 
This is the very interesting story of the only aircraft to fly from the beginning to the end of the Second World War and is still in existance. It is also the only early model B-17 still in existance, it is currently in storage at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum's Garber Facility.

B-17 Flying Fortress (31591) 
H.P. Willmott / Paperback / Published 1987 

Paperback: 64 pages
Publisher: Prentice Hall; Revised edition (June 1987)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0130567132
ISBN-13: 978-0130567130

Paperback
Publisher: Aero Pub Inc (August 1980)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 081685646X
ISBN-13: 978-0816856466

B-17 Bomber Crew Diary 
Edward J. Giering 

Paperback: 142 pages
Publisher: Sunflower University Press (1985)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0897450698
ISBN-13: 978-0897450690

Hardcover: 175 pages
Publisher: Hutchinson; First Edition edition (1976)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0091269407
ISBN-13: 978-0091269401

B-17 Flying Fortress 
Jerry Scutts

Hardcover: 120 pages
Publisher: P. Stephens (1982)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0850594642
ISBN-13: 978-0850594645

Paperback: 72 pages
Publisher: Kalmbach Pub Co (July 1986)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0816850291
ISBN-13: 978-0816850297

B-17 Flying Fortress in Detail and Scale, Part 2 
Alwyn T. Lloyd 

Paperback: 72 pages
Publisher: Aero Publishers (April 1983)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0816850216
ISBN-13: 978-0816850211

Hardcover
Publisher: Smithmark Publishers
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0831714069
ISBN-13: 978-0831714062

Flying Fortress 
Edward Jablonski 

With more than 400 stunning illustrations, here is the gripping and unforgettable story of the B-17 -- the greatest fighting plane and World War II -- and of the gallant crews who made history in the legendary Flying Fortress. The Boeing B-17 was more than a plane -- and it's story, and that of its crews -- is more than history. It is drama, romance, adventure, tragedy and folklore set against the panorama of the greatest war in history. To the men who flew in the B-17, and particularly to those who feel they owe their lives to this majestic aircraft, it was more than a metal monster with four engines and a hundred-foot wing. The B-17 was almost human -- the Queen of the Bombers, the Big Bird, a Glory Wagon, affectionately named "Rosie's Riveters," "Memphis Belle," "Swoose," "Suzy-Q," "Hell's Angels" -- names which during the bittersweet years of war became as celebrated as the men who fought in them. In flak-blackened skies over Berlin, or Schweinfurt, or Merseburg, or Regensburg, these men shared untold moments of terror and exhilaration. After enemy fighters had knocked out two or even three engines, or flak had torn great holes in the sides and wing, the crews believed the B-17 -- with its uncanny will to live -- would bring them home, frightened, frozen, wounded and dead. These very young men, most of them neither professional airmen nor soldiers, look back upon those war years with dread today, but they have never forgotten their plane and how much, for some perhaps mystical reason, they loved it. Flying Fortress traces the story of the development of the B-17, how it nearly died in infancy, and how it grew to change the concept of war. The story is told in human terms relating how the Boeing Company gambled on a dream, how inter-service rivalries, political pressures, personality clashes, and the tragic death of test pilot Leslie Tower in the first prototype might have ended the whole project.   Hardcover: 362 pages     Publisher: Doubleday (June 1968)     Language: English     ISBN-10: 0385038550     ISBN-13: 978-0385038553

Paperback
Publisher: Arco (1970)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0668022965
ISBN-13: 978-0668022965

Flying Fortress the Boeing B-17 
Ernie McDowell 

Paperback: 80 pages
Publisher: Squadron/Signal Publications; 1st edition (July 1987)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 089747189X
ISBN-13: 978-0897471893

Fighting Colors : 
B-17 Flying Fortress in Color 
Steve Birdsall, Don Greer (Illustrator) 

Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: Squadron/Signal Publications; 1st edition (August 1986)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0897471806
ISBN-13: 978-0897471800

Book Description
There is no such thunder in history -- nor ever will be again -- as the deep-throated roar of the mighty, four-engined B-17s that streamed across the skies in World War II. The long runways are silent now, the men and planes are gone. 

But out of the massive files of records available, and the memories of the men who flew, Martin Caidin has assembled this dramatic portrait of America's most formidable heavy bomber of the war. 

The B-17: The Flying Forts recreates a vanished era and a great and gallant plane -- a plane that could absorb three thousand enemy bullets, fly with no rudder, and complete its mission on two engines. A plane that American pilots flew at Pearl Harbor, Tunis, Midway, Palermo, Schweinfurt, Regensberg, Normandy, and Berlin, in thousands of missions and through hundreds of thousands of miles of flak-filled skies. A plane that proved itself in every combat theater as the greatest heavy bomber of World War II.--   About the Author:  Martin Caiden is the bestselling author of SAMURAI! and numerous classics of military history.   Publisher: Ballantine Books (March 12, 1979)     Language: English    ISBN-10: 0345283082     ISBN-13: 978-0345283085

Hardcover: 225 pages
Publisher: Patrick Stephens; 1ST edition (January 1992)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1852603283
ISBN-13: 978-1852603281

Hardcover: 112 pages
Publisher: Nbm Pub Co (April 1991)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1561630071
ISBN-13: 978-1561630073

Boeing B-17B-H Flying Fortress 
in USAAF, USAF, USN, USMC, USCG, RAF, French, Danish, Portuguese, IDF/AF,
Dominican & Brazilian AF Service 
Richard Ward 

Hardcover: 49 pages
Publisher: Osprey Publications (1970)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0850450179
ISBN-13: 978-0850450170

Paperback: 220 pages
Publisher: Cottage Wordsmiths (August 1991)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0962415537
ISBN-13: 978-0962415531

Hardcover
Publisher: Smithmark Pub (October 1983)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0831739797
ISBN-13: 978-0831739799

Hardcover: 241 pages
Publisher: Algonquin Books; 1st edition (April 1990)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0912697997
ISBN-13: 978-0912697994

USAAF heavy bomber units, 
ETO and MTO, 1942-45 Jerry Scutts 
Book Description
This book traces the combat history of the US heavy bomber units that operated in the European and Mediterranean theatres of World War 2. Major aircraft types are all covered, and their missions and tactical evolution are all detailed. Aircraft markings and aircrew uniforms are shown in full color illustrations.

From the Publisher
A series of books written and illustrated by leading military aviation specialists, building into a connected history of the operations of the world’s major combat air forces - the men, the missions, the machines, the markings. 

Paperback: 48 pages:    Publisher: Osprey Publishing (July 15, 1977):    Language: English:    ISBN-10: 0850451310:    ISBN-13: 978-0850451313

Paperback
Publisher: Motorbooks Intl (April 1990)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1870601173
ISBN-13: 978-1870601177

Fortress Against the Sun
The B-17 Flying Fortress in the Pacific 
Gene E. Salecker. 

Click Here is the first book ever  dedicated solely to the B-17 in the Pacific. It tells not only the history of the plane,  but of the men who flew her, fought in her, serviced her and lived with her. Drawing on primary sources, including letters, diaries, government documents and squadron  histories, the author weaves together the history of the operations and the story of  the men in the air and on the ground. 384 pgs., 6½"x 9¼", hdbd.

Book Description 
   Rare vignettes and little-known facts punctuate this fond look back at the symbol of American victory in World War II Europe. Features 150 black and white photos, including some that have never been seen before--until now. Gorgeous 8-page color photo insert complements eye-opening details about the people, the missions, the production, and the development of the B-17. 

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Bowman.

This is the full story of the "Fort", from its early beginnings, through its  seven major variants and the various experimental and special versions. With over  200 historic photographs, many of which are previously unpublished, this is a fitting  tribute to one of the finest aircraft of World War Two. 192 pgs., 8½"x 11", hdbd

Flying with the Hell's Angels
Fleming & Hall. 

Memoirs of an Eighth Air Force B-17 navigator's thirty missions over Fortress Europe with the 303rd Bomb Group, 1943-1944. Fleming’s personal account gives new insight into what it was like to put one's life on the line against Hitler's best during the bloody air actions during early Spring 1944. 142 pgs., 30 photos,  4"x 6", sfbd.  .....0001394

The Legend of Colin Kelly
McClendon & Richards. 

Kelly became America's number one hero when his B-17  bombed and sank a Japanese battleship two days after Pearl Harbor. On his return to  base following the attack, his plane was damaged by Japanese fighters, crashed, and  Kelly died in the aircraft. 68 pgs., 37 photos, 8½"x 11", sfbd..

This book is crammed full of excerpts from original military tech manuals, overhaul handbooks, flight crew references, and original engineering drawings.  Includes exploded views, cutaways, and two-page insert of color photos. 100 pgs.,  110 photos and 30 diagrams, 8½"x 11", sfbd

B-17 Flying Fortress
Prod. Line to Frontline Vol. 2
O’Leary. 

B-17s on the production line and performing their tasks over Europe and the Pacific. A great section of WWII color and period advertising pieces. Appendices, scale drawings and a double-page cutaway highlight this volume. 144 pgs., 130  photos, 7"x 10", sfbd.

Aerial Gunners
The Unknown Aces of World War II 
Watry and Hall. 

Battling enemy fighters with grit  and determination, aerial gunners were largely unrecognized. Here are stories of their  bravery, including the tale of a B-17 waist gunner who shot down 7 attacking  German fighters on a single mission, and "Johnny Zero" - B-26 gunner John Foley,  credited with 7 Zero fighters and 8 probable. Stories of celebrities who were gunners  include Clark Gable, Charlton Heston and Paul Newman. 256 pgs., 5¼"x 8", sfbd.

Although it was far from the most produced bomber of WWII, the B-17  Flying Fortress has come to symbolize strategic bombardment during WWII. Here is a  photo essay "walk around" of this popular craft featuring both period photos and restored B-17s. 79 pgs., 100 color and B&W photos, and several technical diagrams. 11"x 8¼", sfbd.

Escape!
Armstrong.

The thrilling escape and evasion story of a young American B-17 pilot  shot down over France in 1943. Lt. James Armstrong of the 384th Bomb Group was  on his 11th combat mission and had just bombed the important target of Stuttgart,  Germany when a determined German fighter aircraft suddenly attacked his bomber. In the blink of an eye, he and his crew were fighting for their lives, on fire and going down in flames. His experience is one of the epic escape and evasion stories of  WWII. 228 pgs., 89 photos and illustrations, 5¼"x 8½", sfbd

Robert Taylor Air Combat  Paintings
Masterworks Collection. 
Taylor.

In this highly anticipated collection, artist Robert Taylor has selected some of his most acclaimed paintings, along with new works  never before published in book form. His notes for each painting provide historical context and background information on the aircraft, pilots, and missions depicted. Aircraft featured include a B-17, P-51, Spitfire, Bf 109, and more. 128 pgs., 60 color  paintings, 60 B&W drawings, 11¼"x 9", sfbd.

Not as Briefed
From the Doolittle Raid to a German Stalag. 
Greening. 

The author painted and wrote  this one-of-a-kind record of his WWII experiences. He was a B-25 pilot in the famous  Doolittle bombing raid over Tokyo in 1942. Later, Axis gunners shot down his plane over Italy. Evading capture for more than six months, he wound up a German POW. But Doolittle's B-17s safely brought out his logbook and art, making this new work  possible. 280 pgs. with the author's own art. 10 ½"x 9", hdbd......0005825

B-17 in Blue
The Flying Fortress in U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard Service 
Thompson. 

Tells for  the first time the complete story of the B-17 as the Navy PB-1W and Coast Guard  PB-1G. Detailed history of acquisition, modification, squadron service, and eventual disposal. Includes individual aircraft histories of over 50 B-17s used by the Navy and  Coast Guard. Detailed appendices with serials, paint schemes. 152 photos, 120 pgs.,  8½"x 11", sfbd.

The B-17 Flying Fortress, 
Jackson. 

This is the story of the B-17, told clearly and  concisely, not just in technical terms, but also in the words of the men who trusted  their lives to it. Packed with action photographs, specially commissioned illustrations,  and full specifications and comparison data, you'll get a real feel for how the B-17 performed in combat and stacked up against its rivals of the day. 96 pgs., 50 B&W and 25 color photos and illustrations, 8½"x 11¼", hdbd

381st Bomb Group
MacKay.

Traces the history of this B-17 bomb group from training in Texas and Colorado through VE day. The story is typical of so many... If you lived it, it will seem so familiar. If not, here's a chance to learn of the difficult life on the ground and in the air. 64 pgs., 155 color and B&W photos and 25 color profiles. 8"x 11",  sfbd.

Portrait of a Flying Lady
Menzel. 

A significant WWII title on aviation and politics, this is the saga of the  Bowman's Bombers of the 401st Bomb Group who flew a B-17 named "Maiden U.S.A."  When the ship was shot down after a bombing raid on Berlin, its crew flew into  Russian-occupied territory where they were held incommunicado for seven weeks. An outstanding work that delves into an aspect of war not often written about. 256  pgs., 60 B&W photos, 6" x 9", hdbd.

Black Puff Polly
Byers. 

The personal stories of 40 men who crewed B-17Gs with the 457th Bomb  Squadron. Each has a chilling tale of being shot down over Europe, and relates the  trauma of injuries, or prison camp survival. Some of the most gripping and tragic stories this reviewer has ever read. Illustrated, 272 pgs., 6"x 9", sfbd.

Tomlin's Crew
Smallwood. 

On February 25, 1944, the B-17 of Tomlin's Crew was shot down by  fighters on a raid to a Regensburg Messerschmitt factory. The wounded crew bailed  out of the heavily-damaged plane and spent the rest of the war as POWs. This is a  dramatic story from crew training, through combat and POW days, as told by the  bombardier. Illustrated, 296 pgs., 6"x 9",sfbd.

"Jane's" B-17 Flying Fortress
Auth:     David C Isby
Pub:      Harper Collins 1999
ISBN:    0 00 472240 X
I've just read this excellent book, that should be included on your list.

B-17 Nose Art Name Directory
Wallace R. Forman .

Includes Group, Squadron and aircraft serial number as well as photo  availability. Author's life-long research benefits WWII historians and researchers as well as modelers. Over 8200 Fortresses listed. Includes 32 rare combat photos. 96 pgs., 8½"x 11", sfbd.

The B-17
The Flying Forts. 
Caidin.

There is no such thunder in history as the deep-throated  roar of the mighty, four-engined B-17s that streamed across the skies in WWII. Here  you'll see a vanished era and a gallant plane - one that could absorb thousands of enemy bullets, fly with no rudder, and complete its mission on two engines. A plane  that Americans flew in Europe and the Pacific. A plane that proved itself in every  combat theater as the greatest heavy bomber of WWII. 320 pgs., 5"x 8", sfbd.

Pilot's Man. B-17 Flying Fort.

A reprint of the official government handbook designed to show new cadets how to  fly the aircraft. Heavily illustrated with all the data. 109 pgs., 8"x 11", sfbd.

.....0001408

The Flying Fortress name came from its heavy defensive capability bristling with defensive 0.50 caliber machine guns.  It won much affection from its crews due to its ability to soak up heavy battle damage and still get the planes and their crews back home.   The B-17 Flying Fortress was one of the most famous bombers of WW2, although it served in every theatre, it was the ETO in particular that this sturdy and well armed heavy bomber made its name, operating with the USAF 8th Bomber Group from UK airfields.